It’s playoff mania in the Edmonton Oilers system right now, as all three of the Oilers, Bakersfield Condors, and Fort Wayne Komets are prepping for an extended playoff run this postseason. Bakersfield finished its regular season with a 37–23–12 record, securing an AHL playoff berth.
The excitement and anticipation for the organization is high, especially after failing to make the playoffs last season, and two qualifying round exits in 2022–23 and 2023–24.
The Condors are now playing the fourth-seeded Coachella Valley Firebirds on the March 23 in the qualifying round of the AHL playoffs. The AHL playoff format is also slightly different from the NHL’s, with five total rounds, with the first round considered the “qualifier” round, featuring only a best-of-three series.
The Condor regular season this year
The Oilers’ affiliate saw significant turnover from last season. A core theme for the Condors this season was their infusion of youth, including Quinn Hutson, Josh Samanski, Isaac Howard, Viljami Marjala, Damien Carfagna, and (a healthy) Roby Jarventie all playing their first full seasons with the club.
The Condors were glass cannons this past season. Their offensive efforts resulted in the Condors scoring at the third-best rate in the league. The downside? The goaltending and defensive structure could not keep the puck out of the net, giving up 236 goals against in that same span.
Offensively, the Condors have everything an AHL club could want, from dynamic playmaking and scoring to grit, and speed.
Bakersfield can swarm or slow the pace down, whichever favours the current line on the ice. Additionally, the Condors have the forward depth to run three or four lines all game, which is certainly a luxury.
Defensively, Bakersfield is a work in progress as the Oilers’ affiliate lacks a game-breaking defensive prospect, and instead relies on NHL journeymen Josh Brown, Alec Regula, and Cam Dineen.
That being said, Finnish offensive defender Arto Leppanen complements some of the forwards nicely with smooth play facilitation. Expect first-year defenders Beau Akey and Damien Carfagna to be wild cards as this series against the Firebirds is their first-ever professional playoff series.
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Keys to the series
Can’t allow nerves to get to the youth
Many of the players on the Condors are in their first couple of AHL seasons, so inexperience will likely be a factor. With the recent additions of David Lewandowski, William Nicholl, and Tommy Lafreniere, the average age of the entire Condors roster sits at 24.54, which is one of the younger squads in the league.
What the Condors lack in experience, they make up for in skill. If the Condors are to make a deep run, expect the youth to take centre stage.
Special teams momentum is a separator
The Condors have had a top-ten power play in the AHL all season, highlighted by a 22.2% conversion rate and plenty of forward options on both units. This is in stark contrast to Coachella’s lowly 15.7% conversion rate, and if Bakersfield can maintain this regular season finishing rate, it could make all the difference.
With a wide range of setup men (Hutson, Marjala, and even Griffith), and an equal amount of goalscoring finishers (Howard, Jarventie, and Hamblin) this series projects to be a high-scoring matchup.
Goaltender inconsistencies
It is no secret that the Condors’ biggest weakness (much like the Oilers) has been their goaltending all season long. The main issue is a lack of consistency from both long-term AHLer Matt Tomkins and ECHL call up Connor Ungar.
Both goalies have the potential to steal a game, but whether they can be a stable presence in net remains the main question.
With Tomkins being a 1A/1B all season long, expect Head Coach Colin Chaulk to turn to the vet for game one of the series. If Tomkins underperforms, it is possible that the former WHLer Ungar could be given the net in Game 2 or 3.
A look at both goalies’ game logs shows that it is a coin flip whether or not they will steal a game.
Condors on the Calder Cup hunt
With playoffs in full swing, expect the Oilers organization to be busy across all three levels. For the Condors season to be considered a moderate success a trip to round two or three of the playoffs would be expected.
Game 1 of their series takes place in Bakersfield on April 23, with Game 2 in Coachella Valley on the 25th and a Game 3, if needed, on the 26th.
Will you be watching the AHL playoffs? Let us know in the comments below.
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